Gridiron Grit Inspires Struggling Town
I saw this story on Good Morning America on Sunday, November 29th, 2009. I just had to share it, so please take the time to click on the video above. It’s about a small town in California’s Death Valley area called Trona. The recession has hit this town hard, but nothing can keep the Trona High School Football team from doing what it loves to do, play football. However, it’s not just about playing football, it’s about where they play football- The Sand Pit. There is very little vegetation in Trona; therefore, the football field is a gigantic sand pit. Imagine playing in the sand, running in the sand, landing in the sand face first.
I shared this same story with our oldest son who is almost 12. He has been fortunate to play on teams that have adequate funding and to play in leagues that have beautiful turf fields in stadium settings. However, this year, his select team played in a different league which gave his team the opportunity to travel throughout the metroplex. He played on many different fields, some of which were full of weeds and ant hills, some of which were torn up and muddy from recent rains, and some of which were state of the art. Some of teams we played including our own team arrived in custom made jerseys with head to toe Under Armour and some teams wore ripped socks, overused cleats, and equipment that had been obviously passed down.
Regardless of the field conditions, or the economic background of the players, or the uniforms they wore, there was one thing each team had in common. Every player from every team came on the field and played with heart. This Good Morning America story about the Trona High School Football team reminded me about how important it is to remind my children to play with heart. Because, in the end, it’s not about the fancy uniforms, the expensive gear, or the perfectly groomed fields. It’s about playing with heart.
We will be playing with heart this upcoming weekend in a 7/8 year tackle tournament and an 11/12 year tackle select football state championship game. Go Fury! Go GA Giants! Let’s bring it home!
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